Naoki Urasawa is a renowned Japanese manga artist and musician, celebrated for his influential work in the world of manga. Born on January 2, 1960, in Fuchu, Tokyo, Urasawa has been active in drawing manga since the age of four. Throughout his prolific career, he has often worked on two series simultaneously, frequently collaborating with his former editor Takashi Nagasaki.

Urasawa's contributions to manga have earned him numerous accolades, including three Shogakukan Manga Awards, two Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prizes, and a Kodansha Manga Award. He is regarded as a transformative figure in the manga industry, with his works having sold over 140 million copies globally by December 2021, establishing him as one of the best-selling authors of all time.

His first major work was the action series Pineapple Army (1985–1988), illustrated under the writing of Kazuya Kudo. His breakthrough success came with the sports manga Yawara! (1986–1993), which he both wrote and illustrated. Following this, he illustrated Master Keaton (1988–1994) and created the sports manga Happy! (1993–1999). The thriller Monster (1994–2001) marked his first international success, a trend continued with the science fiction mystery 20th Century Boys (1999–2006).

Urasawa's Pluto (2003–2009) was a re-imagining of Astro Boy by Osamu Tezuka, one of his biggest influences. He then co-created Billy Bat (2008–2016) with Nagasaki. After a couple of short series, Urasawa began his ongoing series Asadora! in 2018.

His work is praised for its intricate plots, interwoven narratives, and deep character development, making him a national treasure in Japan. Urasawa has also served as a guest teacher at Nagoya Zokei University, further influencing the next generation of manga artists.